Congratulations to Rachel Baril for making a perfect score on the ACT and for being named a National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Student! About 34,000 commended students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.
Although they will not continue in the 2018 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2018 competition by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
“The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue on in their pursuit of academic success.”
On average, only around one-tenth of one percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2017, only 2,760 out of more than 2 million graduates who took the ACT earned a composite score of 36. In a letter to the student recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda stated, “Your achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. While test scores are just one of multiple criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, your exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as you pursue your education and career goals.”
“We are proud of Rachel’s achievement in earning a 36 on the ACT. Rachel was also a Commended Student in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program,” said Principal Carol A. Christen. “Rachel is an exceptional student and I know she will continue to find academic success in future endeavors. She truly embodies what it means to be a Lutheran High School Gryphon.”
Portions of this story were originally printed in an article on NOLA.com; click here to read the full article.
